If Underwood does officially assume the vice presidency in Season 2, we'll have two American vice presidents created on the soundstages of Baltimore: Underwood and Selina Meyer (HBO's "Veep").

As Virginia was an incubator of early American presidents, will Baltimore be seen as the same to TV vice presidents?

I'm gently mocking our civic image insecurity in Baltimore, but in this age of mediated reality, we'll take it if it happens. Beats being Murder City and/or Drug Central in the world media, don't you think?

Barry Levinson and Tom Fontana, whose TV credits extend back to NBC’s “Homicide: Life on the Street” and HBO’s “Oz,” have been signed by the National Geographic Channel to do a miniseries on the last days of the American Embassy in Saigon.